Owen Wilson

This film may be based on RJ Palacio's fictional bestseller, but it approaches its story and characters in a way that feels bracingly true to life. It's also a rare movie that's infused with strong emotions right from the start, but never dips into any kind of sentimentality. Indeed, director-cowriter Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) holds his nerve as he takes the audience into some remarkably moving situations. And most importantly, it's the kind of film that encourages us to make the world a kinder place.

At the centre of the story is 10-year-old Auggie (Room's Jacob Tremblay), who has been homeschooled by his mother (Julia Roberts) and is now entering a mainstream school. Everyone in the family is nervous about this, including his dad (Owen Wilson) and big sister Via (Izabela Vidovic), because Auggie has a facial deformity that makes him a target for small-minded bullies. But his headmaster (Mandy Patinkin) is determined to help smooth the way, introducing him to the sensitive Jack (Suburbicon's Noah Jupe) and the popular boy Julian (Bryce Gheisar). While Jack becomes a friend, Julian's vicious taunts make Auggie's life difficult. Meanwhile, Via is left on her own to face the fact that her best friend (Danielle Rose Russell) seems to be drifting away.

The story is told from a variety of perspectives, which adds surprising insight as the film explores how Auggie's condition affects him and the people around him. The details are so finely observed that the movie often feels almost journalistic in its approach, which makes it that much more involving.

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It's been six years since the last Cars movie (there were two Planes movies in that time), and the filmmakers have wisely decided to go back to basics for this one. After the sequel's foray into global spy mayhem, this movie keeps its focus on the race track. There's still that nagging lack of logic in the premise: a world of cars living like people, except that there are no people. But the oddest thing about this movie is that its themes are aimed at grown-ups, not children.

It opens as Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) is at the top of his career, winning every race and celebrated as a rock star. Then young upstart Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) beats him, using high-tech training methods. To boost his speed, McQueen's sponsor (Nathan Fillion) sets him up with hot new trainer Cruz (Cristela Alonzo). But the old-school McQueen doesn't like simulators; he wants to feel sand in is tyres. So he takes Cruz on a cross-country trip to tap into his roots and show her the purity of racing on a dirt track. This involves seeking out salty old trainer Smokey (Chris Cooper) as McQueen prepares for a make-or-break race. Meanwhile, a TV pundit (Kerry Washington) drastically cuts McQueen's odds of winning any more races at all.

It's unlikely that kids in the audience will be able to identify with the central idea that you need to recognise when it's time to step aside for the younger generation. But then, they're mainly watching these movies for the vroom-vroom action, then buying the merchandise and recreating the races at home. The plot is for the adults, really, and this film provides a very nice story arc for McQueen (and Cruz as well). There is also, of course, a non-stop barrage of automotive puns and sight gags, silly side characters and wacky action. The stand-out scene is a riotous demolition derby in the mud.

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One of the strongest action thrillers in recent years, this gripping movie cleverly casts actors known for comedy in the central roles. And it works so well that you can't help but see a new trend on the horizon. But the real reason this film is so effective lies, of course, in its script, which never dumbs down for the audience. Instead, it cleverly leaves out irrelevant details, keeping viewers guessing about essentially unimportant elements while getting on with the frantic mayhem.

It opens as Jack and Annie (Owen Wilson and Lake Bell) fly to Southeast Asia with their daughters (Sterling Jerins and Claire Geare) to start a new life after Jack's business back home went under. He has a new job here helping provide drinking water. What they don't know is that their plane lands at just about the same moment as the population uprises and overthrows the greedy prime minister, then sets its sites on interloping Westerners. So before they've recovered from jet lag, this family is running for its life. The only person who helps them is the disheveled Hammond (Pierce Brosnan), who's actually a shady British operative with a helpful local sidekick (Sahajak Boonthanakit) who loves Kenny Rogers. But the mob is on the warpath.

The film kicks off and never lets up, ratcheting up the tension quickly and propelling these characters into a series of outrageous cliffhanger moments. It's startlingly violent for a film with a fragile young family at the centre, so the peril feels real. And filmmaking brothers John Erick and Drew Dowdle do a terrific job at merging action movie cliches with gritty authenticity.

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